This blog will help you grow your vlog or if you just want a nosey on how vloggers work… but it’s also a shameless plug (at the end) to get you to vote for me in the fabulous Northern Blog Awards as I have been shortlisted in the Parenting Vlogger category.
So whilst, I am in no fit state to be celebrating or feeling glorious at the moment, because I am really struggling with my mental health at the moment, I wanted to do something useful to help others grow their / your vlog and Youtube Channel.
This year I have had over 5 million views and have 14k subscribers which is growing daily.
Here are my top tips to grow your Youtube Vlog:
1) Authenticity. So let’s begin with the essence of my vlog and life… is to be real (hence the above statement about my mental health), authentic and raw. By raw I don’t mean lots of quick cuts and action and shaky camera footage (unless this is your style) but I think it is important to be honest and yourself… warts an all.
So whilst I work with select brands I love, I didn’t start my channel to make money because if I had, I would probably have been more guarded about what I say and how I came across to try and look “professional,” which I don’t think would have worked for me. I’ve learnt that people want to get to know YOU.
My most popular vlogs are extremely raw (cringeworthy, in fact) and as a trained broadcast journalist it makes me squirm watching. Plus it’s worth noting that I’m pretty much a full-time blogger and vlogger so I make a living from being open but it is always worth thinking about the repercussions of how much you share. I hope by being so open I’ll help others who struggle with their mental health or other parents who need a familiar face.
With this one I just held up a camera and chatted with no makeup on, no tripod and my old baggy mumsy clothes, I wouldn’t normally be seen out in this outfit let alone on a platform of millions! But this is my reality…
2) Talk to people: Focus on talking to your audience, see them as human beings (which most of them are) and talk to them.
Just think how busy everyone is and the fact that someone has taken time out of their day to watch you, is pretty precious.
3) Be consistent, like a good friend.
We all eventually give up on a friend who keeps cancelling on us. So where possible makes sure you upload your vlogs on a schedule which you can keep to e.g. I upload on Mondays (a week in the life of vlog), Wednesdays (I do a live vlog on Youtube) and Fridays (a theme/topic of my choice). I’ll upload the odd extra video too but I don’t commit to this as I can only manage three vlogs a week most of the time.
4) Invest in good equipment and/or people: Before you dive in to a top of the range camera or phone, I’d recommend kicking off your vlog mojo first. So spend time getting into the swing of your format, types of vlogs and style before you decide on what equipment you want to use.
Here’s what I have (contains affiliate links):
For sit-down vlogs and professional filming of interviews…
For day-in-the-life-of vlogs and moving around…
And I also want (what everyone has, but pricier than the above Sony)…
For amazing photos and lazy vlogging (as it’s quick and easy and everything automatically stores on a cloud)…
But my best investment of all has been hiring a vlog editor Daria, my Evoke Media Group buddy, to edit and upload my vlogs. This has saved me so much time, stress and has meant I can keep to my youtube vlogging schedule.
5) Get known for what you do… I vlog mainly about Gentle (ish) Parenting, Family Life and Mental Health – People know what they’re getting when they come to me. They know me. I think that really helps. And I am going one step further now as my Mama Mei vlog and blog is still quite broad as it encapsulates my busy life, I am starting a dedicate breastfeeding channel and a dedicated mental health one, whilst still keeping Mama Mei as it is.
Youtube is a platform, a community and a search engine in it’s own right. In fact, it’s the world’s second largest search engine. There are so many opportunities… good luck and most of all make sure you enjoy what you create.
Feel free to drop links to your channels or favourite vloggers below!
And I’d love for you to vote for me in the parenting vlogger category for the Northern Blog Awards, here’s the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGk8CFXNBZ5BJkV0y8sivZh3ZkluDEU0oKUr7PVQS8n2CtIA/viewform
